Crowns & Frowns

Berlin's Final Chance Slips Away

NEW BRITAIN — One last play, 1 yard to go. That's what Berlin had left and what it needed to tie Ledyard in the CIAC Class M football championship Saturday.

Trailing by seven, Berlin drove from its 12 with 2:53 left to the Ledyard 1, and had fourth-and-goal with 10 seconds remaining.

Berlin quarterback Jimmy Connelly handed off to Kevin Tatro, who a moment later was standing in the end zone. But he didn't have the ball. It was stripped at the 1 by Brandon Ketcham and recovered by Ledyard, giving the Colonels a 21-14 victory at Arute Field and their fourth state title under 42-year coach Bill Mignault, but first since 1993.

"It could have gone either way, right down there. I don't think he got in [before the strip]," Mignault said.

Berlin coach John Capodice led his team off the field to the school's buses after the postgame ceremonies and declined to speak with the media.

Berlin's late drive lasted 19 plays and was kept alive by an 18-yard pass from Connelly to Mike Spyros on third-and-10 at the Berlin 12, an 11-yard run by Jack Cooper on fourth-and-1 at the Berlin 30 and finally a Ledyard pass interference on fourth-and-10 to bring the ball to the Ledyard 14. Connelly made it to the 3 on a keeper for a first down. After an incompletion, Cooper took it to the 1 on a misdirection play, then Connelly spiked the ball. That's where it ended.

Ledyard (10-1) trailed 14-7 at halftime and had been outgained 199 yards to 61. On its second possession of the third quarter, the Colonels put together a seven-play, 51-yard drive with Tim McNeil (96 yards, 24 carries) scoring on an 18-yard run and Nate Coleman kicking the extra point to tie it.

Then junior J.J. Jablonski made two plays that would prove to be the difference.

The first came after Berlin (10-2) had driven to the Ledyard 36 on the next possession. On third-and-1, Jablonski leaped in front of a Berlin receiver and intercepted a pass by Connelly at the 11 with 2:22 left in the third.

"At the last second I jumped up and I went for it," Jablonski said. "Good thing I play basketball."

On second-and-8 from its 13, Ledyard got a big play from another junior. Ketcham, who only carried twice, broke free for a 53-yard run to the Berlin 34. Five plays later, Jablonski's second big moment came out of an old Ledyard playbook.

Quarterback Marc Mignault, the coach's grandson, handed off to Jablonski. He dropped back to pass and found Mignault wide open on the left side for a 22-yard touchdown with 9:19 left in the game. Coleman's kick made it 21-14.

"We've had [that play] for a long time but we polished it off about a week ago," Mignault said. "[Jablonski] has two choices - throw to the wingback down the middle or he can throw to the quarterback, who sneaks out to the side. He caught Berlin by surprise."

Berlin's first-half advantage was built mostly on Connelly running a spread and going 9-for-13 for 159 yards. Cooper also completed a 32-yard pass to Cameron Johnson.

The Redcoats scored twice in the second quarter, on a 6-yard keeper by Connelly with 11:56 left, and a 5-yard run by Cooper with 32 seconds left.

In the second half, Ledyard's defense put a lot of pressure on Connelly hurrying him often and getting two of its six sacks.

"[Our defense] had to make play after play, but that's a good team over there, an excellent passing team," Mignault said. "My staff went to the chalkboard at halftime and they made adjustments. We went to what we call lockup, not letting anyone get deep."